Smile, tommorow will be better
by MissBrunetteBarbie
Summary: After Alaric is killed by the Heretics, Caroline decides that she needs to get out of Mystic Falls. Her destination: New Orleans. Klaus has never expected for the woman that haunted his dreams to show up pregnant at his door. But life surprises both of them. Takes place somewhere in s7 of TVD and s3 of TO.


**Disclaimer: I do not own TVD**

 **This is Helimoen's prize for winning the New Year' s competition.**

 **The prompt was for Klaus to meet Caroline when she was pregnant with the twins.**

 **This follows the TVD canon as best as I can tell but I have not watched much of Season 7. It also includes TO elements like Hope Hayley ( she is just mentioned)** **but does not really follow the TO canon because I have no idea what happened in NOLA at that time.**

 **Also this is pretty much anti SC in the beginning. So read at your own risk.**

Caroline felt the air leave her lungs. Alaric was dead. Dead. Killed by the Heretics because of one of Damon's stupid plans. And now the children she carried had no one in this world. No one but her.

She petted her growing belly.

"Hush, my princesses, I won't let anyone hurt you. I will protect you. Now I am your only family and you are all that I have left"

She felt tears threatening to fall. She had never felt so lonely, so depressed in her life. Everything was falling around her, her entire world. And she just wanted a friend, someone to hold her, to dry her tears, to tell her that everything will be okay, even if it was a lie. Someone like….

"Care" Stefan's voice interrupted her musings. Just in time, as her thoughts were drifting too close to _him._ And Caroline knew that if she allowed herself to think about _him,_ she will go to _him._ And she feared that she will never come back.

"Are you alright?" Stefan asked him, always the concerned boyfriend. _Except when it matters,_ she thought darkly.

"No, I am not fine, Stefan. And do you know why? Because my children are in danger with every minute that we spend in this God forsaken town."

"I get it, Care. I really do. But think about it for a minute because, technically, they aren't _really_ your children…"

"Seriously, Stefan, do you even hear yourself talking?" she spat angrily. "They are _my_ children. They are my responsibility, my family. Especially now that Ric is dead. Actually, they would have been my family even if he was alive."

"Look, Care, I know that you are worried and scared, but you do not have to make decisions _now._ You should wait…"

"Why? Because you do not like my decisions? Get over yourself, Stefan. It's pathetic"

Caroline felt relieved. She had kept her frustrations with him bottled inside for far too long. Now she felt a smug satisfaction as she saw his shocked and hurt face.

 _Good. I am hurt too. Why shouldn't he suffer with me?_

She really was becoming a bitch, but she didn't care. She had a plan in mind. One that Stefan won't like. But she was done trying to please him.

"What has gotten into you, Caroline? This is not you." He tried to reason with her, always, always assuming that he knew best.

"I want to be safe, Stefan. And I know exactly where I have to go for this to happen."

"Where?" he asked confused.

"To New Orleans"

The silence that followed her statement was deafening. Stefan was looking at her like one looked at a small child who wanted to play with fire.

"To Klaus? Are you insane?" he asked her, barely managing not to go and shake her out of this stupid idea.

"Yes" was her simple answer, to both questions.

Stefan kept looking at her half worried and half incredulous, but Caroline paid him no mind.

"Come with me if you want. Or don't. I do not care. I am going no matter what."

She started walking towards the door, when she suddenly turned to him again.

"Oh, and you and me? We are so done"

###

Klaus bounced Hope on his knees while he's little girl laughed delighted. She loved this moments with her. Soon enough Hope will grow and will become an adult. She wouldn't need him anymore. So he found these small moments with her invaluable. Especially considering that Hayley and Jackson spent more than half their time playing the happy little family with HIS daughter. He hated the fact that his daughter grew up near another father figure. His only consolation was that Jackson cared for Hope, and if it ever came down to it he will sacrifice his life to protect Hope.

"Da"

The small sound made his heart swell. He couldn't help but feel smug. His daughter knew who her real father was. But their blissful moment was interrupted by the sound of his phone. Klaus growled in annoyance thinking that it was Elijah or Freya trying to bother him for God knows what. However nothing could prepare him for the shock he felt when he saw _her_ name coming up.

Hope was looking at him with her innocent blue eyes expecting him to answer the phone like he always did.

After half a minute in which he could barely breath, let alone _believe_ that the love of his existence (not life, because his life has been over ever since he became a vampire, a millennium ago) was calling _him._

Finally he gathered enough courage to answer it.

"Caroline" he breathed her name like a prayer, like the name of a goddess that came to bless him in an hour of need.

"Hi, Klaus" answered her uncertain voice. "Umm, sorry to bother you…" she started shyly but Klaus cut her off.

"You do not bother me, love" _You could never bother me,_ remained unsaid.

"Right" was her only answer, like she had heard his hidden thoughts. "Klaus, I…" she stopped abruptly to take a breath.

"Love, are you alright?" Klaus asked her, starting to feel angry and worried. Something has happened to Caroline. And this thought made him feel more panicked than he had felt ever since Hayley had tried to run away with Hope.

"I am in New Orleans"

Her answer was just a simple sentence. Only five words. Five words that changed Klaus Mikaelson' s life forever.

"Stay where you are" he ordered her softly. "I am coming to you"

"Thank you" was the only thing she said. But the heartbreak in her voice filled him with worry. Caroline needed to be safe, to be happy. There was no other alternative and Klaus will make sure of it. Even if he will destroy the world in the process.

###

The universe hated him. Now he was entirely sure of it. Why else would it always put pregnant women in his path when he had no bloody idea what to do with them? First Hayley and now Caroline! Caroline who was a vampire was pregnant?! How was it possible? Of course, he had no right to talk: hadn't he left his own daughter with Freya to come here? Was it contagious like the flu? Because he had no other explanation why all the vampire in the world seemed to be suddenly able to procreate.

"Caroline.. Umm, what's this?" he asked dumbly as he pointed to her hug…, urm, slightly larger belly.

Caroline smiled amused at seeing the usually eloquent hybrid at a loss of words.

"These are my daughters" she explained to him like it was the most normal thing in the world. She tried to not overthink the fact that this was the first time she referred to the twins as hers in a conversation. When she was with Klaus she always said the things she was thinking, not having to worry about his opinion. "Say hi to them" she beckoned him.

"Hi!" he said like an obedient puppy and Caroline couldn't stop the hysterical laughter that came over her.

Klaus just watched her like an artist will eye a canvas after years of not being able to paint. Starved by the sight of her, even the news of her unexpected pregnancy couldn't take Klaus mind away from how utterly stunning she was. Back when he had been a child, the old wives in his village used to say that pregnancy makes women glow, amplifying their beauty. He had never seen it with Hayley, but he could see it with Caroline.

When Caroline finally stopped laughing she asked him a question that he was most definitely not prepared for:

"So, how is your child?"

Klaus gulped. It seemed that the universe also liked to put him in this embarrassing situations. How can he explain to Caroline that he had impregnated a girl she most likely hated? (not that he couldn't understand why she disliked Hayley, no matter how much Elijah liked to sing her praises). And also how did she know about it?

Like she could read his thoughts, Caroline rolled her eyes and answered his question:

"Tyler told me. You didn't really think that he would keep it for himself after I hurt him so much by sleeping with you?"

"I guess not. The boy really hated me" he said amused, ignoring Caroline's scoff that seemed to say 'duh'. "And to answer your question, Hope is doing fine"

Caroline looked at him with a strange expression that seemed to mix disapproval and disappointment.

"Really, Klaus?! You called your daughter Hope? Literally Hope?!"

"It's Elijah's fault"

Really his brother shouldn't have called the baby " _their family's hope"._ It hadjust been glued in his head _._ And since he had not thought of a better name, why not? However, Caroline was not buying it.

"Did he name her?"

"No, I did, but….."

"Then it's your fault. End of story. Now, let's go to your house. I have a lot of things to tell you and I do not want to say them in an airport."

Klaus just nodded and showed her towards his car. He loved how bossy Caroline was.

 **###**

During the car ride Caroline told Klaus everything. From her mom dying to her involvement with Stefan (here she couldn't help but appreciate the jealousy that he was radiating) to become a surrogate mother to Alaric's death by the Heretic's hands.

"Do you want to keep them?" he asked her softly and Caroline was grateful that there wasn't any judgment in his tone, even after everything she had told him.

"I don't know" she said truthfully, she loved the twins like they were hers, but she didn't know she had been a mother at such an young age, with no one to support her. "I want to make the right choice"

Klaus gave her a humorless laugh.

"There is no right choice when it come to children. They are the greatest responsibility you can be given because you are utterly responsible for their future, their personality, their happiness"

"You make me want to give them up. I mean, not give them up per se, but let them be raised by another family. A witch family because they are sinphonners" Klaus frowned at this bit of information. "Maybe I can be Auntie Caroline and visit them on Christmas and on their birthday" she thought aloud.

"If you want so, love." Klaus said neutrally. "But you have to be sure about your decision"

Caroline looked at him for a long moment. Klaus was a father. Klaus "I will kill everyone you care about" Mikaelson was a parent. So, maybe she could try to be one too.

"I think I want to keep them. I would love to keep them. But will I be a good mother, Klaus?"

"You can not find out if you do not try. But I personally think that you will be a marvelous mother."

Caroline smiled at him, grateful for his words, but still unsure.

"Well, it's not like you really have a term of comparison." She said, thinking that Esther wasn't a good role model for Klaus.

He returned her smile, but could see that she was still worried.

"Ric is dead. Who will help me take care of them?"

"I will" he answered honesty plain written on his face much to her bewilderment. "Move to New Orleans…"

"Klaus, you know I can't"

"Why? There is nothing keeping you tied to Mystic Falls anymore. In fact, there are people in that town who want to harm your children. I can protect them, I can protect you."

"Klaus.. " she started to protest again, but Klaus wasn't done yet.

"You said your children are sinphonners. They need to be surrounded by witches. They need to be surrounded by magic. The Nine Covens of New Orleans have no prejudices against their kind. They will be protected, they will be taken care of, they will be loved here."

The last part, spoken in a soft voice was what caught Caroline's attention. Klaus was basically saying that he would love them. Love the children that did not share any blood relation to him, that didn't even share blood with _her._ Klaus was more or less saying that he was ready to take the responsibility of raising them alongside her.

"You already have a daughter" she pointed out.

"Yes, and I love Hope very much. As does her mother, her stepfather, her aunts and uncles. She has a lot of family, Caroline. I think that a stepmother and sisters will not be unwelcomed"

"Are you somehow asking me to marry you? Because if you do, let me tell you that this is the most unromantic proposal ever."

Klaus just rolled his eyes at her attempt to distract him from their present conversation.

"Of course not, love. Marriage is too trivial a thing for the likes of us. What I am saying is that you obviously need my support considering the fact that you came here. And I am more than happy to offer it, love. You have always had a special place in my life. Ever since I bit you in the Gilbert home I realized that I could never live in a world without you. Your safety, your happiness are two of the most important things for me. And as such, I know that your daughters already have a place in my heart. "

Caroline gulped. She often forgot that Klaus was a man, not a boy like all her other boyfriends. He was ready to take responsibility, especially for her.

"Are you saying that you can be a father for my daughters? That you will love them as much as you love Hope? Think about it Klaus, this is not something you can change your mind about. I will not allow my children to be raised in a house where they are considered second best. I have been second best my entire life and it's not something I want for them. I grew up wondering why I wasn't enough for my father to not leave us or why my mother couldn't take a free day to spend time with her only child. Till I became a vampire I always felt like my parents didn't love me enough and I didn't have a term of comparison. I am glad you love your daughter, Klaus. Truly, I am, because every child needs their father's love and because it proves the fact that I was not delusional when I thought that there was more about you than the Big Bad Wolf. But I need you to tell me that you will consider my daughters your children as much as you consider Hope, otherwise raising them toghter is not an option."

Klaus smiled with pride at her fierce determination. She really was fitting for the role of a mother. Not accepting anything but the best for her children.

"Hope is not my only child"

His truth bomb left her speechless and despite enjoying her perplexed expression he hurried to explain. He told her about adopting Marcel and feeling like a proud father till he had found about his affair with his sister ("Gross! He slept with his aunt, adopted or not, is incest. And a bit of an Oedipus' complex. Anyway, not healthy" was Caroline's opinion, and Klaus couldn't help but agree.) He then proceeded to tell her about Marcel's supposed death, about their battle for New Orleans and their reluctant truce.

"Do you still consider Marcel your son?" was all she asked at the end of his story.

"Yes, I do. I will always consider him my son. But I am afraid that he does not consider me his father anymore. Not that I blame him."

"Yeah, well, I am sure you guys can reach an agreement. I mean, you are not easy to live with, but you are pretty great to have around" Caroline offered, not knowing what else to say.

Klaus smiled at her, grateful that she wasn't offering any pity.

"What am I trying to say, Caroline, is that blood doesn't make any difference here. Marcel, Hope, your daughters…. They are all family for me."

This time he was rewarded with one of her brilliant smiles. He could see that Caroline understood what he meant. She seemed less worried.

"Ok. So let's say that we raise the twins toghter and start a romantic relationship."

Klaus had to will himself not to scoff at the much too lacking term of "romantic relationship". It was much too simplistic for what he felt for her. However he didn't say anything wanting to see her point.

"If so, then I will be part of your family's lives too. What will I be exactly?"

"Well, Marcel is too old for a mother and Hope has Hayley. But I think you can be her dad's cool girlfriend" he said trying to do the American accent.

Caroline laughed at his horrible performance. But she was truly unsure about how she will fit in Klaus life.

"I guess that I can be the ice cream smuggler when Hope is grounded." She laughed along with him.

"Do you resent her?" Klaus question sobered her mood.

"Who?" she asked confused

"Hope. Do you resent her existence?"

"Of course not" Caroline answered like it was the most obvious answer in the world and Klaus let out a breath that he didn't realize that he was holding. "I have no right, Klaus. And even if I had, she is your child. She probably has the Mikaelson charm that would make anyone fall at her feet. I am just a little bit insulted that you slept with Hayley. I thought you had better taste. I mean: you liked _me_. "

The last part was more mocking than serious. But Klaus wanted to put any unease to rest.

"I have no feelings for Hayley, I never had and I never will, Caroline. The only reason I had any interest in her was because she was willing and because…. Well, you do a lot of things to me, Caroline" he explained slightly embarrassed.

"Got it, Klaus. Men have needs as do women. God knows that I had done a lot of stupid things because of said needs."

Without noticing, they arrived at the compound. Klaus stopped just before the entrance to watch Caroline as she seemed to think about her decision. Once she entered they both knew that there was no coming breath. Smiling at him, she took his hand and together they entered the new chapter of their lives.

###

"Niklaus" Elijah's voice reasoned through the house.

Klaus sighed. His siblings really got on his nerves most of the time. Especially Elijah.

Sure enough, his brother was walking towards him, his disapproving frown fixed in place.

"Where have you been, Niklaus? You can not leave like that. You have a responsibility to Hope. And Hayley has tried to contact you because the werewolves…"

"Are you concerned about Hope or Hayley?" Klaus asked, tired of his brother trying to make him care about the werewolf. "Because I let Hope in the capable hands of our sister."

At the same moment Freya entered he room with his daughter in her arms. Her eyes widened when she saw Caroline standing by the door, unsure if she should intervene in the brothers' disagreement or not.

"Umm, hi" Freya said, not knowing who the stranger in their home is. "Niklaus, would you introduce us to your… friend?"

Elijah eyes snapped to Caroline. He was so caught in scolding his brother that he hadn't even noticed the unknown vampire that came with him. Now he was looking at Caroline with suspicion and distrust.

"Hi, I am Caroline. I am Klaus'… Well, for lack of a better term let's say that I am his girlfriend"

"Girlfriend? Since when?" asked Elijah, remembering that the only woman who Klaus had showed a minimum of interest into was Camille, and not even she would dare call herself Niklaus' girlfriend.

Freya on the other hand, had a very different reaction. The girl had been familiar to her, but now hearing her name she remembered why. She had seen her in a memory when she had entered Niklaus' head. The memory had shook her to the core because of Niklaus' words towards Caroline: _He is your first love. I intend to be your last. However long it takes._

"You are Caroline?! I kinda took you for a legend."

"Umm, thanks I guess" was Caroline's only answer, not really knowing what Freya was talking about.

"She's staying?" Freya asked Klaus, certain that Klaus wouldn't let the woman for whom he had opened his heart walk away now that she seemed to return his feelings.

"Yes, of course. We will also need a bigger nursery" he added looking at Caroline's belly.

This time Elijah's mouth actually flew open. He was gaping like a fish and he couldn't care less. He was certain that the strange woman was a vampire, so how could she be pregnant? Sensing his confusion and seeing that Klaus was too caught in admiring the other Original's bewildered face, Caroline took pity on him.

"Yes, I am a vampire and yes, I am pregnant. Explanations later now I need a blood bag. And maybe a cheeseburger."

Elijah was looking at Klaus, begging for an explanation as Caroline exited the room alongside Freya.

"Niklaus.."

"Later, Elijah, now I need to take care of Caroline"

Elijah kept staring at the spot where Klaus had stayed. This was all his fault! He had pushed Klaus towards Hope so much that now he was kidnapping pregnant women in order to have more children.

"What have I done?!" he whispered to himself.

###

"Klaus!"

 _Bloody hell._ He loved Caroline, he truly did. In ways that he hadn't thought his black rotten heart was still capable of, but the woman was driving him insane. Not that he had been sane to begin with.

"Klaus! I am hungry!" Caroline shouted again from the other room.

"You always are these days" he muttered to himself.

"What did you say?"

"Umm, I just ask what you want to eat?"

"Hmm, let's see. Watermelon?!"

"Are you sure? The last time I had brought you one you threw up. _In my bed"_

Caroline just glared at his pouting face.

"I am a pregnant woman. That's what I do. Also, I believe it is _our bed_ now."

"Yes, it is" he confirmed, smirking at the thought that Caroline was officially his girlfriend. Now this was something that he hadn't really expected.

"But, seriously, Klaus. I need watermelon. And B positive."

"Sweetheart, I am not exactly the heart of positivism."

Caroline simply rolled her eyes, like she was the one that had to endure a pregnant woman's moods for the last months instead of him.

"No, silly, I meant the blood type. Ouch.!"

"What happened?" Klaus asked alarmed. He wasn't an expert in magical pregnancies so he always worried when Caroline said something like that.

"Nothing, I am…."

Suddenly she let out a pained cry.

"Oh God, Klaus, I think I am giving birth!"

"Giving birth?! Umm, stay here I will call Freya she will know what to do.." he said moving toward the door.

"Just call her, you idiot." Caroline yelled, trying to calm herself.

"Right"

Modern technology was really convenient.

###

The twins birth was a difficult one. Freya had to use her magic in order to make the children stop syphoning Caroline.

Now Caroline was alright, if a little bit tired. She was looking at the girls like she couldn't believe that they were there.

"Have you felt like that when Hope was born?" she asked Klaus without lifting her face. "Like she was so perfect that it felt impossible to be real?"

"Yes, I did." Klaus answered truthfully. "Your children are beautiful, Caroline."

She smiled shyly at him. Klaus picked up the other twin and the girl stared him down for a moment before yawning.

Caroline gave him an airily laugh.

"It seems the sight of you makes Louise sleepy"

"Louise?" he inquired curiously, already liking the name.

"Yep. And this – Caroline pointed at the girl in her arms- is Isabelle"

"I thought that you wanted to name them after their late parents"

Although he hadn't thought it a good idea and he already liked their actual names. Nonetheless he wondered why she changed her mind

"Well, I thought better of it. Jo hated her own name and I couldn't find any good female variation of Alaric. Besides both Ric and Jo had had bad luck in life"

"Caroline, Elizabeth, William, Louise, Isabella…. They all are names that can be found in the British royal family tree"

"Really, I didn't know that." But Caroline seemed quite pleased with Klaus' revelation.

"Then why did you choose them?"

"Well, Louise comes from Louisiana obviously. This place is too beautiful for words so I thought it is a good idea. And Isabella… Well, I read that it is the French version of Elizabeth so…" she trailed off still affected by Liz's death.

"The names are as beautiful and as special as the children. I am sure you will be a good mother."

"I can try"

Klaus kissed her slowly on the lips. It wasn't a passionate kiss, it was a sweet and tender one. Born of unaltered love.

Caroline kissed him back feeling blissful. It wasn't the life she imagined but she was slowly working towards that. With Klaus by her side.

Suddenly the cries of a child pulled them back to reality.

"Oh, Isabella, you couldn't let us enjoy the moment?" Caroline asked more teasingly than anything.

Klaus smiled. They may not be a traditional family, but he loved it even more for it.

 _ **Six years later**_

"But Daddy, Isabelle has four Barbies, but I have only one. It's not fair!" the six years old stomped her foot, pouting. In her young life this was a tragedy.

She and her sisters both had two parents that loved them dearly, an older sister who despite not always being in the same house with them and being bossy most of the time was still one of their best friends. They also had a lot of aunts and uncles who bought them the best presents on their birthday (and sometimes for no reason) and Hayley and Jackson who were always nice and let them stay past bedtime when they stayed with home. They even had their other parents watch them from heaven.

But now, Louise was really angry at her daddy. He had lots of money and she only wanted another doll.

"Yes, Louise, your sister has more dolls than you, but do you remember why?"

The girl crossed her arms and glared at him defiantly. Klaus had to suppress a smirk. It was such a Caroline thing to do.

"You would have just as many dolls as Louise if you haven't break the first one. You shouldn't have threw away her head."

"But she was Marie Antoinette. And Auntie Bekah said that Marie Antoinette lost her head. So I lost hers too."

Klaus groaned. She really needed to have a conversation with his siblings on what stories they could tell the children and what they couldn't. And the beheading of the last queen of France wasn't one of them. He now understood why Hayley had forbidden them to be in Hope's presence for more than twenty minutes without her or someone responsible (read Klaus, Jackson, Caroline and Freya) there.

"Louise, I do understand your predicament. God knows that I had my fair share of disagreements with my siblings. But once you get a doll you have to take care of it."

Bloody hell, parenting was hard. Especially when one had three spunky daughters running around.

Louise stomped her, an angry expression crossing her face, one very similar to Alaric's, before leaving to brood in her room.

Klaus felt a little sad. He often forgot that he was not the twins biological father. He always wondered what Alaric would think about the fact that Klaus Mikaelson raises his daughters. Would he appreciate what he has done for them or would he hate him? Sometimes it was hard that Caroline had been pregnant with another man's children. Especially considering that she hasn't been romantically involved with.

It was even harder to think of himself as a step-father. For the longest time he had associated the term with Mikael, with bad memories and hate. He had always thought that he would never care for someone that was not his blood. But Isabelle, Louise and Caroline had proved him wrong And he loved them for it.

"Isabelle, Louise, Hope is here. Come, get ready for lunch and then you can play toghter"

Caroline's voice echoed through the house. He also loved the fact that Caroline practically adored Hope. It was Hayley that she had troubles with but that never affected her relationship with his daughter. It was very different than the one he has with the twins, because Hope already had a mother and Hayley had enough insecurities about being replaced. But Caroline treated Hope like a teacher will treat their favorite student and Hope thought she was _the best babysitter ever._

"What are you thinking about?" Caroline's voice snapped him out of his musings. At some point she had entered the living room without him being aware.

"I am thinking about how beautiful my life became with you in it"

Caroline rolled her eyes but at the same time she leaned to kiss him passionately.

 _ **AUTHOR'S NOTE**_

 **Thank you so much for your patience, Helimoen. I am really sorry for the wait. But I had writer's block and a lot of work. Not mentioning being sick.**

 **I am truly sorry for killing off Alaric. But I could not find another way to tell the story. Also I hope you do not mind that I changed the twins names. I figured Caroline will name them something different.**

 **And for everyone who wants MAKE A DREAM LAST to be updated. It will be in March. Sorry, but I am busy.**

 **Anyway, leave a review.**


End file.
